In assembling a closure member for a vehicle normally the frame and the outer panel skin are processed separately and are brought together and assembled on the assembly line. At that point when the two components are assembled, a cylindrical lock is normally installed within the opening through the outer skin or panel and an installer has to somehow connect the operating portions of the cylinder lock with the latch mechanism installed on the vehicle door. Often this installation is a tight fit and quite rigorous and time consuming. It would be advantageous to be able to pre-install the locking cylinder with the latch mechanism with the operating levers attached prior to installation of the outer skin.
In the prior art once the cylindrical lock is inserted in the opening through the panel and attached to the operating levers of the latch mechanism, a bezel surrounding the edges of the opening through the panel is installed to support the end of the locking cylinder through the opening. This end is often threaded and the bezel may be threaded as well or may include supplementary portions which are threaded such as a nut or the like.
Canadian Patent No. 1,019,366 describes a Hardware Assembly which is attached to a panel from the rear thereof with clamping portions. The handle assembly has the key latch lug 35 and operating levers proximate the interior thereof which must be connected to the latch portions of the lock mechanism for the door. This would still be quite a cumbersome task in spite of the module provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,077,101 to Jacobi includes a bezel 19 which has an ornamented trim thereon which extends closely to the holes in lugs 18 on the front of the lock housing and overlies the outer face of the outer panel 8 of the rear deck lid and cooperates with nut 15 to prevent axial displacement of the lock housing. Therefore it is taught generally that the bezel aside from being the dust cover also holds the front of the lock mechanism in place. However this structure does not obviate the concerns expressed above in a relation to an assembly line and the labour involved with installing the prior art structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,122,013 to Jacobi teaches a outer bezel portions secured to the front of the locking body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,616 includes a lock body having internal an external weather seal for a cylinder lock. This arrangement is an example of the prior art structures which applicant obviates.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,522 describes again a seal or cap for a locking body including an annular bezel on the locking body. This reference again is an example of the teachings in the prior art.
Canadian Patent No. 967,388 is the equivalent to U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,522.
Canadian Patent No. 1,235,585 describes a lock protector for a fuel cap which includes a lock portion extending through the fuel cap which has a cup like body inserted therewith so that the head of the lock is drawn against this and sealed by the body as a lock nut is drawn tight.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,567 by Appelbaum describes a lock cover device made of a resilient polymeric material.
French Publication 2,606,444 by Vachette describes an elastic device which presses against the inside external plate of a door.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,564 describes a dust cap for tumbler locks, the dust cap having lips which overlap the back of a flange on the lock which may be formed of resilient plastic material as best seen in relation to FIG. 2. However the structure does not include the pre-installation of the locking cylinder on the frame portion of the vehicle door with the dust cap of U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,564 orienting the cylinder when assembled.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,505 includes a horizontally adjustable bezel as best seen in FIG. 2 which allows because of the star shaped openings in the bezel plate the lateral motion of the bezel. However the bezel portion does not include an annular recess for engagement of the edges of the panel portion allowing for adjustment in position of the bezel portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,463 by Duval describes a weather seal in the prior art for locking cylinders illustrating the complexity for locking cylinders.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,652 describes a sealing cap for a lock assembly representing the complexity of such an arrangement obviated by the present invention.
Great Britain Patent Application 2,194,582 published on Mar. 9, 1988 describes a lock protection device for automobiles to inhibit freezing up in winter conditions of the lock. The materials used in forming the device is plastic. The device is located near the lock assembly and fastened in position. In one embodiment adhesives are used.
West German Publication No. 3,716,384 by Luipold published on Nov. 24, 1988 teaches a cover which fits over a lock and is held in position by magnets as best observed in relations to FIG. 2. The material used in forming the protective cover may be plastic or metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,712 by Hoff, U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,551 by Bohenek, U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,322 by Waite each describe a bezel for a gauge, the bezel being made from plastic materials and having flanges formed therewith so as to engage each assembly. The flanges are resilient. These references are presented as examples of other bezels known to applicant.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,551,630 to Griffith Plastic Products Company describes a bezel for surrounding an opening as best seen in relations to FIG. 2, the bezel having an peripheral flange and having a plurality of studs disposed around the bezel and used in combination with a retainer. This example is used for sealing around an electrical panel.
Nowhere within the prior art is there found a bezel which is made from resilient material and which is pre-installed in a panel opening of a panel or skin to be assembled with a frame, the frame including a lock portion extending laterally away from the frame toward the panel in use, the lock portion being pre-installed in the frame and when the frame portion and the panel portion are assembled the lock portion extends through an opening in the panel portion and through the bezel. The bezel includes means to align the axis of the extension to the bezel with the axis of extension of the lock portion and provides a friction fit to fasten the lock portion at that end. None of the prior art allows for the pre-installation of the lock portion with the frame and the bezel in the panel so that each may be processed separately in an assembly line and be assembled with ease and simplicity not requiring that an installer work in very cramped conditions.
It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a resilient insert such as a bezel or the like which may be pre-installed in an opening through a panel, preferably the panel to be installed with a frame portion having pre-installed thereon a lock portion extending laterally away from this frame portion toward the outer panel in use, the insert, bezel or the like being moveable laterally in its position in the opening of the panel when the lock portion engages the insert, bezel portion or the like at the time that the framing portion and the panel portion are assembled.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a process for assembling a closure assembly and preferably a vehicle door or deck lid wherein a locking cylinder may be pre-installed in the frame of the closure assembly prior to installation of the panel which includes the bezel portion pre-installed therewith.
Further and other objects of this invention will become apparent to a man skilled in the art when considering the following summary of the invention and the more detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof illustrated herein.